Why Do I Hurt? Workbook

Help your patients learn about their chronic pain with this interactive workbook designed to help them treat their condition.

This neuroscience pain workbook created by Adriaan Louw, PT, PhD, allows patients to not only better understand their pain and how it works in the body, but also track and record it through active participation.

Patients write in the workbook to monitor their pain experiences and learn how to treat their condition. The interactive exercises help them understand how pain works in the body, why they hurt and how they can lessen their pain.

The content is based on clinical scientific research and features memorable, easy-to-understand neuroscience concepts and illustrations adopted from Louw’s renowned patient handbook, Why Do I Hurt?

Patients love it!

I have used this booklet on a couple of my patients, and thus far, they are loving it. One patient remarked that the tasks at the end of each section really made her think about her pain experience. Another reported the drawings really hit home for her and actually brought her to tears, because finally, "someone gets it."
This booklet serves as a great guide in walking patients with persistent pain through a series of informative pearls that help them understand their pain and empower them to move beyond it. I have been asking patients to complete two sections on their own, and then bring it back each visit (1x/week) for us to discuss together, which is working well. It is helping me as a clinician to pace the education process, delving deeply into topics as needed for each individual patient.
I highly recommend this booklet to patients and therapists alike! It's a powerful tool that really helps patients take an active role in their own healing process, owning their pain and moving beyond (or in spite of) it. In addition, it is extremely reasonably priced!

I have used this booklet on a couple of my patients, and thus far, they are loving it. One patient remarked that the tasks at the end of each section really made her think about her pain experience. Another reported the drawings really hit home for her and actually brought her to tears, because finally, "someone gets it."
This booklet serves as a great guide in walking patients with persistent pain through a series of informative pearls that help them understand their pain and empower them to move beyond it. I have been asking patients to complete two sections on their own, and then bring it back each visit (1x/week) for us to discuss together, which is working well. It is helping me as a clinician to pace the education process, delving deeply into topics as needed for each individual patient.
I highly recommend this booklet to patients and therapists alike! It's a powerful tool that really helps patients take an active role in their own healing process, owning their pain and moving beyond (or in spite of) it. In addition, it is extremely reasonably priced!

December 14, 2016 / Jarrod, Physical Therapist - Rochester, MN

Designed to be Patient-Centered

As a physical therapist, treating individuals who are living with persistent pain can be challenging on many levels. One of the greatest challenges to overcome is the fact that every person has their own unique pain experience. It is here, at the individual pain experience level, where successful treatment of persistent pain can begin.
This new, patient-centered, workbook takes on the individual pain experience right away in section 1. The workbook continues on through a total of 8 sections. Each section presents easy to understand information while connecting together a progressive and methodical approach for patients to follow. Section titles include:
Your personal pain journey
Your body's alarm system
Knowing your alarm system has become extra sensitive
Why did this happen
Your brain meeting
Your lion
How to turn down your extra sensitive alarm system
Your recovery
One of my favorite parts of the workbook is that at the end of each section is a task box for the patient to consider. These 8 tasks really put the information to action, and put practical handles on how a patient can begin to treat their pain and improve their function.
While a patient could successfully work through this workbook on their own, it is probably best shared as part of a interactive experience with a therapist.
Any therapist that wants to improve their own understanding of presenting a comprehensive PNE program to help patients in pain should try this workbook. Without a doubt the information in this workbook will give a practicing therapist a leg up in presenting PNE concepts to any patient while starting to put the patient in charge of understanding and treating their own pain.

As a physical therapist, treating individuals who are living with persistent pain can be challenging on many levels. One of the greatest challenges to overcome is the fact that every person has their own unique pain experience. It is here, at the individual pain experience level, where successful treatment of persistent pain can begin.
This new, patient-centered, workbook takes on the individual pain experience right away in section 1. The workbook continues on through a total of 8 sections. Each section presents easy to understand information while connecting together a progressive and methodical approach for patients to follow. Section titles include:
Your personal pain journey
Your body's alarm system
Knowing your alarm system has become extra sensitive
Why did this happen
Your brain meeting
Your lion
How to turn down your extra sensitive alarm system
Your recovery
One of my favorite parts of the workbook is that at the end of each section is a task box for the patient to consider. These 8 tasks really put the information to action, and put practical handles on how a patient can begin to treat their pain and improve their function.
While a patient could successfully work through this workbook on their own, it is probably best shared as part of a interactive experience with a therapist.
Any therapist that wants to improve their own understanding of presenting a comprehensive PNE program to help patients in pain should try this workbook. Without a doubt the information in this workbook will give a practicing therapist a leg up in presenting PNE concepts to any patient while starting to put the patient in charge of understanding and treating their own pain.